The Healthy Macau Association announced yesterday that it will co-host a one-day activity with The Project Futurus (HK) for senior residents titled “Sensory Restaurant on Wheels™”.
The association’s president, Kong Wai Sam, said at a press conference that the activity aimed to extend “special blessings” to Macau’s elderly.
The one-hour press conference was held at the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ (UGAMM – widely known as Kai Fong, its short name in Cantonese) headquarters in Toi San district.
According to the statement, the co-organisers and supporting organisations of the event comprise the Ms. Kong Chi San Rossana Culture and Education Society, Widex Hong Kong Hearing & Speech Centre Ltd., and Four Star Company Ltd.
Kong said that next week’s activity will be held at the Obra das Mães (“Mothers’ Work”) Comprehensive Care Centre for the Elderly in the Inner Harbour’s Praia do Manduco neighbourhood. Kong said she hoped to allow seniors with swallowing difficulties and affected by dementia to safely and with dignity enjoy the pleasure of “yum cha” with soft food*.
The activity will be held next Thursday (October 9).
Kong underlined that the Women’s Committee of the Macau Chamber of Commerce will organise a volunteer team to assist in the event, while Ka Nin Wa Restaurant will provide the food ingredients.
Addressing the press conference, Widex Hong Kong Hearing & Speech Centre Ltd. Speech Therapy Department Chief Heidy Ng Ka Hei talked about elderly people’s swallowing difficulties. She pointed out that the condition arises from problems in the process of transferring food or drink from the mouth to the stomach, often due to an inability to control or coordinate the muscles in the mouth and throat. This, she said, can lead to food or liquid entering the windpipe.
She also said that the causes of swallowing difficulties in the elderly can be categorised into physiological ageing, neurological diseases, structural factors, and medication side effects.
Ng said that soft foods are tender and moist fare that are easy to chew and swallow, often because they have been thoroughly cooked to ensure that they are soft, mashed, chopped, pureed, or blended.
* The soft food concept refers to a dietary approach that involves consuming foods that are soft in texture, easy to chew, swallow, and digest. This diet minimises the need for vigorous chewing and reduces irritation to sensitive parts of the digestive system. – DeepSeek
Healthy Macau Association President Kong Wai Sam (left) and The Project Futurus (HK) Senior Manager Milky Choi Ying Fung pose before yesterday’s press conference at the Kai Fong headquarters in Toi San district. – Photo: Armindo Neves
